Brother In Arms
by Unknown11
Summary: My take on when Sora met Riku in Hollow Bastion in the game. RR pleeze:
1. Chapter 1

Sora couldn't believe it. Riku, his best friend had left him to the darkness. Riku the brother he never had was the real chosen Keyblade Master.

"If that's true then why did the keyblade come to me?" The brunette asked out loud. "Riku was always the strongest, or the fastest. If he was chosen to wield the key then why did it come to me? What could I possibly have had that Riku didn't have to begin with?" He kept on walking with a puzzled expression on his face. The young warrior kept searching through his memories over and over again until he thought of the words Yuffie had spoken to him when he first met the ninja in Traverse Town.

"Those creatures that attacked you are after the Keyblade. But it's your heart they really want, because you wield the Keyblade." My heart? He thought as he placed his hand on his chest. Was it my heart that made the keyblade chose me? He looked up at the Beast who seemed concentrated on keeping a lookout for Heartless. Since Sora had only a wooden sword that barely affected the mechanical heartless the only useful thing he could do was magic which still took a lot out of him. He usually did defensive magic like Cure and Aeroa on himself and the Beast to keep his strength up since he was their only protection for the moment. He didn't have that many ethers and he was saving the elixirs for an emergency.

"My heart is the strength I need). He thought. "(With the strength of my heart combined with my determination I'll make it through this and I'll rescue Kairi!)" With determination in mind Sora ran head on into the heartless that were blocking the doors of the castle. The two avatars worked together as if they have done it for years. Sora cast a thundara spell on a Darkball while beast came from above and clawed through it and its two companions that were behind it. Seeing a Shadow Heartless sneaking up on the back of Beast, Sora cast Aeroa on Beast to damage the small Shadow. It fell on the ground and then focused itself to merge into the floor. The Beast saw the enemy and he lunged his fist into the ground to form some sort of damage to the heartless, but the shadow was too quick and it pounced off the ground to the back of beast to strike at his face. Sora had seen the attack coming and had focused and had focused a stop spell that froze the tiny creature in mid air giving beast time to crush it with one blow. Seeing that Beast was a little tired Sora concentrated his magic into a cure spell on his frightful companion.

"Thanks," growled the towering animal. Sora gave him one of his shining smiles as a reply, but just as he did the Beast striked him against the wall and yelled

"Look out!" A fire spell had been shot from the shield of a lone Defender standing in front of the doors. Nearly hitting Sora head on Beast had pushed him out of the way to dodge the attack. Growling with anger beast leaped toward the Heartless with a slash of his claw to strike down the heartless, but the monster blocked it with its shield and countered with the living head nailed on the shield. Beast parried the blow and countered with another claw, but the heartless spined it's shield to knock beast's attack away and then jammed it's shield into the wound that Riku's sword Soul Eater have marked on him. With a wave of pain the Beast tumbled to the floor and was ready to feel the finishing blow, but it never came for Sora had summoned all the strength he could must and used his Arms Arcum technique to hit the Heartless against the railing as it tripped of the railing and down below to falls where it never came up.

In heavy breaths the blue eyed warrior walked over to Beast and asked in a shaky voice "Do you need a hand? With wounds like that you shouldn't be walking around like that." The Beast looked up at the boy with new respect. He had thought that Heartless would be the last thing he would see, but thanks to this boy, no this hero he had another chance to save Belle. Sora had casted an elixir on himself and then focused a cure to the frightful avatar. He grunted in thanks and then walked to the doors of the castle with a heavy pull he opened the doors to the castles and the two began walking inside.

It was a dark place was the first thought that had came out of Sora's mind. It was dark and depressing. "(I guess that's why they call it hollow bastion)," he thought. The Beast looked around expecting an attack from a Heartless. Sora kept his wooden sword up as well, even though it would have no effect he still felt save with at least some kind of weapon in his hands. As the two entered into the center of the room Beast let out a gasp as he turned around to the front doors. Standing there was a beautiful maiden wearing a beautiful golden dress, with brunette hair and eyes. Beast looked upon her with joyful eyes, but then they had snapped back to eyes of rage. The beautiful women had changed into a shadow heartless showing it was an illusion to anger Beast, and angered him it did. Beast gave out a terrifying roar and launched himself through the doors to annihilation.

Seeing that Beast was following the black creature he tried desperately to stop his companion from falling in the enemies trap, but it was too late the doors shut, just like Sora's chance of survival.

"Quit while you can. Said a voice behind him. Standing only a few feet away as his former best friend wielding the weapon he had used to save so many worlds, along with his two ex- companions Donald and Goofy. Before him stood Riku his new enemy.


	2. Cross of Blades

"Quit while you can." Spoke Riku in an arrogant tone. Sora just shook his head with an act of stubbornness.

"No! Not with out Kairi!" Riku just shook his head in pity.

"The darkness will destroy you!" He yelled as he opened his heart and called forth the darkness to his aid transforming himself into a new suit. It was purple mixed with some red on each arm. Two belts that crossed below and around a small cape. The most noticeable thing was the black heartless insignia that was plaited on his chest.

Sora stood in his place with no look of fear of the new look of his former best friend. He still believed he was talking to Riku his best friend.

"You're wrong, Riku. The darkness may destroy my body, but it can't touch my heart. My heart will stay with my friends. It'll never die!" He placed his hand over his chest. Riku looked at him with an amused look while Goofy and Donald looked on with nervous looks at each other. Not knowing what to do.

"Really... Well, we'll just see about that!" Then it happened so fast that Sora didn't have time to think or act. Riku had stuck out his hand and cast from it a small orb of dark energy to the direction where Sora was preaching. It happened so fast that Sora didn't even have time to blink. It's all over he thought, but then in an instant a blur of black mixed with green flashed in front of Sora and blocked off the attack. It was Goofy who protected Sora from the blast much to Sora and Riku's surprise.

"Sora ain't gonna go anywhere! " Yelled the knight. Riku looked at Goofy with a perplexed look.

"You'd betray your king?" Goofy just shook his head in disbelief.

"Not on your life! But I'm not gonna betray Sora, either, 'cause he's become one of my best buddies after all we've been through together!" Goofy turned over to look at his old friend standing next to Riku, trapped between duty and friendship.

"See ya later, Donald. Could ya tell the king I'm really sorry?" He asked in a pleading voice. The powerful mage jumped up in down with excitement.

"Hold on, Goofy! We'll tell him together." The tempered duck ran or more like waddled over to his two comrades and looked at Sora with a sheepish look.

"Well, you know... All for one and one for all." Goofy then turned around and looked at Sora with one of his trademark goofy smiles.

"I guess your stuck with us Sora." Sora looked down at his shoes in order to hide his tears that were threatened to come out.

"Thanks a lot Goofy…Donald," but he couldn't let them see them, and he especially couldn't let Riku see them. Thinking of Riku pushed back the tears and made his eyes turn from gentle blue eyes, to a frozen gaze that met on Riku's face.

Riku just looked at the trinity with a look of confusing. They would give up their titles, and respect of their king just for Sora? It didn't add up to him. From the looks of things all Sora would do is cast magic since he could break his wooden toy in two. Goofy and Donald would be the only two really fighting and they shouldn't be a problem. "(Yes)" the young platinum warrior thought with a smug look on his perfect face. "(This won't be a problem. I need to test out this keyblade anyway and see if Sora even was using it probably.)" He looked up at Sora and decided to gloat him with his choice of weapon.

"How will you fight without a weapon?" Sora just shook his head like it was the obvious answer.

"I know now I don't need the Keyblade. I've got a better weapon. My heart." The dark swordsmen bit back a laugh and answered back with a cocky attitude.

"Your heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?" Sora just shook his head in disappointment, and at his ignorance. It seemed that his old friend had changed since he last saw him a few months ago.

"Although my heart may be weak, it's not alone. It's grown with each new experience, and it's found a home with all the friends I've made. I've become a part of their heart just as they've become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then...if they don't forget me...then our hearts will be one. I don't need a weapon. My friends are my power!" Riku just gave a short chuckle.

"(Such a fool. Preaching till the end.)" Then the arrogant teen felt a jerk in his hand and looked down to see his trophy had vanished and then to his surprise it transported it self back to it's rightful owner. Sora gripped the holy weapon into a fighting stance and took his place in front of his two companions.

"Riku please give up now." Riku just gave an angry growl at his former best friend and yelled back.

"Come then Sora! Come show me the power of your weak heart!"

"It is your heart that is becoming weak Riku!" Sora jumped into the air to strike down at his old friend only to see that he wasn't in the same spot anymore. Riku moved to the left in time to dodge Sora's hit and draw out his evil looking batwing sword Soul Eater. Drawing in time to parry the next attack from Sora's keyblade and countering with his own with lightning reflexes. Goofy moved on Riku and used a tornado ability on Riku, but he saw it coming from a mile away and he easily jumped over his attempt and attacked him from behind and pushed him in the way of Donald's way stopping him from casting a spell. Sora ran to Riku and continued striking at Riku's sword arm in order to disarm him since he had no intentions of killing his childhood friend. Riku was surprised from the pain and in doing so gave Sora the chance to hit another combo on him. Riku blocked some hits and countered with his own, but Sora had guarded against everyone as if he read the attacks from a book. After fighting Riku back home for years Sora had memorized his sword style for years, but the same could be said about Riku.

He saw some hits coming and deflected them and striked a slash on Sora's face. Sora ignored the blood coming out of the small cut as he dodged rolled out of the way of Riku's horizontal strike coming to finish Sora and returned with an Arms Arcum. Riku was just about to counter when a heavy hit was sent to his head and sent him falling to the floor. It was Goofy who had used a rocket technique against Riku to send him back against the wall. Riku blinked away the stars flying around his head and returned his focus as Goofy came with another rocket attack right as him as he was pinned against the wall. Riku flipped over Goofy letting him run into the wall and returned to Sora as he came behind Goofy's attack and clashed his blade against Riku who blocked it and elbowed him in the face and strike through his stomach with incredible speed and then used the darkness to push him back as he turned his attention to Goofy who had charged again only to meet head on with Riku's attack and then become a victim of another. Donald had cast Aeroa on Goofy just as he hit the suit of armor Goofy had fell into and then cast Cura on Sora who had just got up. Riku gave a groan.

(The stupid Duck can heal damnit!) He thought. With in an instant Riku had called forth the powers of darkness as the gruesome swordsmen jumped over to behind Donald ready to put an end to the feathered annoyance and get back to Kairi. Donald had just sensed him as he cast Gravia on Riku to slow down his attempt and call forth a Fira to push him off. Riku had felt the pain, but with the darkness he ignored the burnt in his suit, or the cuts and tares made by Sora. He just cast another orb of darkness to the wizard to destroy his presence from his sight, but the magical duck had cast Aeroa as the blast came to a hit. Goofy had glided over to catch Donald as he flew back into the doors as Sora charged against Riku forcing him to go backwards in defensive up the stairs.

The two swordsmen striked at each other in hopes of an opening. They seemed at an equal which frustrated the living hell out of Riku since he had the darkness on his side, while Sora had his weak heart. Sora just appeared calm. He knew that Riku had indeed become stronger, and that he was faster than before all the Heartless, and keyblade stuff ever happened. Where Riku was the strongest as he was reminded time and time again.

"(Not this time!) He thought. "(I will never give up!)" Sora had advanced on Riku who had jumped in the air and had landed on the second floor up the stairs in front of the entrance. Sora had followed him as he came in with a vortex swing to which the Heartless warrior jumped over and came in with a thrust to Sora's neck. Sora had barely dodged by a hair as he used his dodge roll to roll underneath him and use the time to cast Cura on himself. Riku saw him cast the spell in the corner of his eye and he gave his rival a growl of hatred.

"(He can heal himself too! Is this the gift of the Light?)" Riku didn't have time to wonder as the Keyblade Master came down on him with a Blitz attack that had landed going across the Heartless symbol on the silver haired fighter's chest as he stood bleeding. Riku pushed back against Sora in order to get him in the corner, but it failed as Sora jumped over him and gilded over to the edge. Riku called forth the darkness once again as he jumped to his rival to push him off. Sora saw him approach with a calm expression he jumped to the side and striked his giant key to Riku's head. Riku blocked it and moved to the side and slashed his sword against his ribs that made contact. Blood stained Sora's jacket, but he ignored his pain and thrust his own attack that Riku pushed to the side and countered only to be blocked and used the force against him as Sora used his Arms Arcum against his old friend and push him off the high ground to fall into the fountain. It failed as Riku gained his control in mid air and landed in front of the fountain.

The swordsmen didn't have time to breath as Donald had returned to the fight by casting Thundara spells to keep Riku busy on his feet one right after another Donald cast to wear down his endurance. Sora watched the battle go on from above and an idea came to him!

"Donald Goofy get him to the fountain!" The two avatars nodded as Goofy attacked Riku head on and Donald casted spell after spell to push the young silver haired teen to the fountain. Sora had jumped off and glided over to the doors while his two friends distracted Riku. Sora saw Riku standing where he was the moment he first walked into the room and that was all he needed.

"Donald! Goofy! Move out of the way!" The Keyblade Master yelled out with excitement. The two animals didn't need to be told twice as they dived out of the way letting a straight opening for their leader.

Sora had concentrated all his power he had left into this one Strike Raid. Time seemed to have slowed down like a Stop spell was cast around the whole room. Donald and Goofy diving opposite sides, Sora standing there with his hand out from throwing the keyblade towards Riku who just noticed the attack as it was right in front of him. It was too late. The attack went right at his chest hitting him into the water. He fell in and strangled to get up on his knees. His dark uniform had disappeared and he stood in a weakened form. With whatever dignity he had left he ran to the left and went through the door to the library and pulled out a book through a secret passage, but as he ran through a hall he tripped and fell to the ground, not evening bothering to get up as he was dripping wet with water in the ground mixed with some blood. They had shown mercy to him, but he felt like dying. It was there that Riku had fallen to the power of three hearts.

Next chapter: "Is that…?"

"Yes. A keyblade, but unlike yours."

"So I see the path has emerged at last."


	3. Riku?

Riku continued to run from the spot where he slipped. He kept on running away from the defeat he hated. Even with the darkness on his side he couldn't defeat Sora and his two sidekicks. He kept running until his breathing was starting to get heavy and he took a break.

The Keyblade had abandoned him after Sora had given his speech. While Riku was furious from his humiliation, he was also a little curious. He had discovered from the evil witch Maleficent that he was the rightful wielder of the Keyblade that had resides with in Sora's grasp, and only the Keyblade can unlock the secret door that could save Kairi's heart.

"Why? It was mine." Asked the puzzled teen out loud. A deep voice from behind Riku had responded to Riku's question.

"Know this. The heart that is strong and true shall win the Keyblade." The voice belonged to a ghostly figure that was covered in a brown cloak that had a hood covering his face. Riku asked the glowing figure with an accused tone

"What? You're saying my heart's weaker than his?" The hooded figure merely nodded to the swordsman question and responded with a tone that sounded like he was a teacher teaching a student.

"For that instant, it was. However, you can become stronger. You showed no fear in stepping through the door to darkness. It held no terror for you. Plunger deeper into the darkness and your heart will grow even stronger." Riku struggled with the answer. He didn't seem to understand this mans attentions. Whoever he was he seemed to know what he was talking about (maybe he can be trusted) he thought.

"What should I do?" asked the platinum haired teen.

"It's really quite simple. Open yourself to the darkness. That is all. Let your heart, your being, become darkness itself." Riku seemed pleased with the answer. (If I have to submit to the darkness to protect Kairi and get revenge on Sora then I'll do it.)

Riku called forth the darkness to enter his body, his heart, and his soul. A green aura surrounded Riku and the hooded man floated towards Riku and merged with him. In an instant Riku's wounds had immediately healed and his Heartless uniform had returned looking brand new like it was never in a battle. Riku could feel the dark power flowing through his veins and yet he felt something else. Something that was deeper within his heart.

"Do not be alarmed." Spoke a voice. Riku jumped backed and looked around and then he figured that it came from within his head.

"Who are you?"

"It is I the one who gave you the power you wanted so much." Riku then figured who it was he was speaking to.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I am Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness." The separate entity stated.

Riku gasped from the answer.

"The famous researcher? The one that created the reports about the Heartless?"

"Yes. I have become apart of you. It was the price for wanting this power. Do you except it?" But Ansem had already known that there was no way Riku was going to deny this power now that it had seduced him. He could live with another voice in his head.

"Good. Now Riku I'm going to merge my power with you. So we shall become one and defeat the Keyblade Master, and open the Final Keyhole, but first we need a new weapon. Soul Eater is a magnificent sword, but we need something else to even out the playing field. Not to worry I have a plan." Then Riku walked to the door leading to the Grand Hall and looked over to the six capsules holding the six princesses. Riku stretched out his hand and summoned the six hearts to his being. Then he casually strolled up the steps over to where Maleficent was standing in front of the giant heartless shaped keyhole. He looked over to the witch and Riku gave out a mental gasp. He could see the darkness surrounding Maleficent's heart. He couldn't believe that she couldn't feel the darkness slowly eating away her heart.

"Yes it seems she's a puppet to the Heartless, but do not fear for we are too strong to be swallowed from their grasp." Riku didn't even have the slightest feel of worry. Nothing could touch him now that he had this new power flowing through him. He decided to let the witch know he was present at committing about the keyhole.

"So, I see the path has emerged at last." It was strange how his came out. It was Riku's voice, but at the same time it was a different voice speaking to the witch at the same time. And the words, he didn't plan on speaking those words to her. It seemed that Ansem had more or less control of their actions and body movements. It didn't matter to him. As long as he had this power, and Kairi was saved he could care less.

"Yes. The Keyhole to the darkness."

Maleficent answered with a cool voice as if nothing was different, but deep down she knew that something was different with the boy. She could feel his presence of darkness right when he came through the hall's door. It was Riku, but at the same time it wasn't. It took her a second to figure out who had possessed him, but then she recognized Ansem's darkness flowing within Riku's heart. She was surprised under her calm mask to discover the purpose that Ansem had kept Riku, but it didn't matter for soon she would have ultimate power.

"Unlock it and the Heartless will overrun this world." Riku stated.

"What do I care? The darkness holds no power over me. Rather, I will use its power to rule all worlds." Riku chuckled with amusement at the sorceress's answer. (What a fool) he thought.

"Such confidence." Then Riku stretched out his right hand again and concentrated on the princess's hearts that he had captured and used his dark powers to shape the six hearts into a solid form and called forth a black Keyblade with a red handle guard surrounding it. He clasped the dark looking weapon with his right hand. Maleficent's eyes turned big when looking upon the new key that had been created in front of her eyes.

"Oh! Impossible! The princesses of heart are all here!" The witch turned her head towards Kairi's ice cold body lying on the center of the floor.

"It must be her." Spoke the witch. Riku turned his head toward the sleeping girl and stated

"Without her heart, she will never be able to release her power." Then a screeching sound was heard from outside the room that caused the two villains to turn their heads to the entrance.

"The king's fools are here. I'll deal with them myself. You stay here and guard the princesses." Maleficent walked down the steps and headed to the door while Riku watched her like she was a prey about to be killed.

"She maybe a mere puppet of the Heartless, but she maybe a useful puppet to wound the Keyblade master." Spoke the possessed teen as he summoned a portal of darkness and disappeared.

Riku watched the fight of Maleficent against the Trinity and Beast with amusement. It seemed the witch was beaten and disappeared through a portal to a different room entirely. Riku had followed her and appeared behind her with fake concern.

"Do you want some help?"

"Riku." The dark warrior turned in response to the person calling his name. Behind him stood Sora, with his two companions and the Beast ready to finish Maleficent off. Donald looked down at the dark Keyblade that was in his grasp with shock.

"Is that-"

"Yes. A Keyblade. But unlike yours, this Keyblade holds the power to unlock people's hearts. Allow me to demonstrate..." (Time to make yourself useful witch) though Riku. He turned around towards Maleficent with speed that made his previous moves look like a joke. "Behold!" he shouted as he stabbed Maleficent in the heart.

"Wha-"Stuttered the witch as darkness poured out of her chest.

"Now, open your heart, surrender it to the darkness! Become darkness itself!" Then he turned around towards the group and gave them a chilling smile as the darkness surrounded Maleficent.

"Riku!" Bellowed out Sora as he disappeared through a portal. He knew that wasn't his friend. Something changed in his friend from a few hours ago when they last fought. His suit was all patched up and his wounds were healed like he never had any. The thing that scared Sora the most was Riku's voice. He could hears his former best friends voice, but at the same time he could hear something else a voice that sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't think about it now as the black dragon came attacking head on at Sora with it's greenish flames.

Next chapter: Riku's Revenge

"It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness."

"Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!"


End file.
